Burton Agnes Hall
Burton Agnes Hall in the East Riding of Yorkshire is one of the finest Elizabethan country houses in England, a red brick mansion of 1598 built by Sir Henry Griffith that has remained largely unchanged in its external appearance for over four centuries while its interior has been enriched by successive generations of the same family with a remarkable collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings acquired primarily in the early twentieth century. The combination of the outstanding Elizabethan architecture and a collection of considerable art historical importance makes Burton Agnes one of the most rewarding country house visits in the north of England.
The house was designed by Robert Smythson, the architect responsible for Hardwick Hall in Derbyshire and Longleat in Wiltshire, and the characteristic Smythson style of symmetrical facade, large windows and disciplined proportion is clearly evident in the Burton Agnes design. The entrance front, approached through an elaborate gatehouse of the same period, presents a long red brick facade of considerable authority and elegance, the symmetrical arrangement of windows and the slightly projecting bay of the great hall section creating a composition of controlled confidence typical of the best Elizabethan country house architecture.
The interior of Burton Agnes retains its Jacobean plasterwork ceilings, carved overmantels and carved wood panelling in a series of rooms of exceptional quality. The great hall with its carved alabaster and plaster overmantel, the drawing room and the long gallery are among the most complete Jacobean interiors in any English country house still in private occupation. The art collection assembled by the Cotton family in the early twentieth century includes works by Renoir, Cézanne, Gauguin, Manet and Pisarro displayed in these historic rooms.
The walled garden with its yew topiary, the potager kitchen garden and the children's games and mazes in the grounds provide extensive outdoor interest.